The King’s School’s Chess Team Magnificent Seven Players
The King’s School’s chess team is to send a magnificent seven players to the Delancey UK Schools Chess Challenge 2022 Northern Gigafinal.
King’s rapidly expanding Chess Club sent twenty boys and girls to the North West regional Megafinal event, with a record number qualifying for the Northern Gigafinal. Senior organiser Tracy Aston and coach Andrew Ireland now have high hopes King’s will have a strong representation in the National Terafinal.
Tracy, a King’s Maths teacher, said: “This is our best ever group of players at all age levels. There has been a dramatic increase in interest in the game and each player seems to be feeding off each other’s competitive spirit with a fierce desire to get better and better.”
Andrew Ireland, who has been King’s Chess Coach for 18 years added: “You need concentration, calculation, mental energy, physical stamina and, above all, perseverance to become a good chess player and this team demonstrate all those qualities in abundance.”
Senior School champion, Sam Parry, who practices for around five hours a week and came a stunning second in the North West Mega finals, said: “I love the problem solution and the face-to-face competition, and yes, as some games can on for five or six hours, you do need some physical endurance as well.”
Junior School Champion, Sef Cooper, added: “I love the game and play every night with my family, and yes, I do beat my dad more often than not now. He needs to up his game.”
The King’s School’s Chess Clubs welcome entry and advanced level players, run in both the junior and senior sections four times every week, with Andrew teaching “opening theory, end game theory, tactics and, as importantly, how to accept defeat as well win with modesty.”
